Methods of inhibiting IgE responses to thymus-dependent antigens with the anti-gp39 antibody MR1

Abstract

Methods of suppressing a humoral immune response to a thymus-dependent (TD) antigen are disclosed. The methods involve administering to a subject a TD antigen with an antagonist of a molecule which mediates contact-dependent helper effector functions. In a preferred embodiment, the antagonist is an antagonist of gp39. Primary and secondary humoral immune responses can be suppressed and suppression is prolonged.

1. A method for inhibiting an antigen specific IgE response to thymus-dependent (TD) antigen in vivo comprising administering to a subject exposed to the TD antigen a gp39 antagonist, wherein said gp39 antagonist is an anti-gp39 antibody as produced by hybridoma MR1 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection and Assigned Accession Number HB 11048. 
     
     
       2. A method for inhibiting an antigen specific IgE response to a thymus-dependent (TD) antigen in vivo comprising administering to a subject a gp39 antagonist together with the TD antigen, wherein said gp39 antagonist is an anti-gp39 antibody as produced by hybridoma NR1 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection and Assigned Accession Number HB 11048. 
     
     
       3. A method for inhibiting an antigen specific IgE response to a thymus-dependent (TD) antigen in vivo, while preserving a humoral immune response to a thymus-independent antigen, comprising administering to a subject exposed to the TD antigen environmentally a gp39 antagonist without the TD antigen, wherein said gp39 antagonist is an anti-gp39 antibody as produced by hybridoma MR1 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection and Assigned Accession Number HB 11048. 
     
     
       4. A method for suppression of an antigen specific IgE response to a thymus-dependent (TD) antigen in a subject, comprising administering the TD antigen and a gp39 antagonist to the subject, wherein said gp39 antagonist is an anti-gp39 antibody as produced by hybridoma MR1 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection and Assigned Accession Number HE 11048. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the thymus-dependent antigen is an allergen. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the antigen-specific IgE response to be inhibited is an allergic reaction. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the gp39 antagonist inhibits a primary IgE immune response following initial exposure to the thymus-dependent (TD) antigen. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the gp39 antagonist inhibits a secondary IgE immune response following re-exposure to a previously encountered thymus-dependent (TD) antigen.